Stambali’s Gaze Back: From the Erasure of Bū Saʿdiyya’s Daughters to the Resistance of their Surrogates

Abstract

This thesis deals with a Sufi healing ritual called Stambali that has been somewhat popularized in Tunisia after the 2011 revolution. The ritual has its roots in Sub-Saharan culture where women historically played an important role in managing the healing circles. The lodges where the ritual took place in the old quarter of Tunisia such in Dar Barnu played a role in integrating Sub-Saharan elite soldiers as well as slaves. In post- independence Tunisia, those lodges were shut down, sold, and the ritual was banned. While the ritual has been re-popularized in Tunisia after militant attacks on Sufi shrines and mausoleums, the role of women has been marginalized. In my research, I discuss the shift in the position of women. Also, I deal with how Stambali healers and musicians redefine the ritual by reclaiming public spaces. Central to my discussion is resistance from the margin and notions of agency.

Date of Award	2021
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Humanities and Social Science